ANALYSIS

Strengths

Based on the most recent stock assessment (2014), albacore in the North Pacific are likely not overfished and not undergoing overfishing. It has been recommended by the ISC Albacore Working Group (http://isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/working_groups/albacore.html) that fishing mortality rates should be maintained at current levels and that current management measures should be maintained (AWG 2014).

Weaknesses

Target and limit reference points have not been formally adopted and there is no harvest control rule in place. Data reporting from some countries (China and South Korea highlighted during 2011 assessment), specifically with regard to effort data, need to be improved. The last assessment noted that additional information on sex-specific size data, updated estimates on maturity and natural mortality rates and spatial analysis, could potentially improve assessment results. Albacore’s range spans multiple regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs)(Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)). The Convention texts from these two RFMO’s calls for cooperation in the management of albacore throughout its migratory range. The 2005 management measures in place for albacore through the WCPFC and IATTC call for members not to increase fishing effort beyond “current effort” but neither defined explicitly what “current” means. In 2013 IATTC adopted a supplemental resolution to define “current effort” but the WCPFC has yet to follow suit. Information on bycatch in longline fisheries is limited due to low observer coverage (5%).

FISHSOURCE SCORES

Management Quality:

Management Strategy:

≥ 6

Managers Compliance:

≥ 8

Fishers Compliance:

≥ 6

Stock Health:

Current Health:

≥ 8

Future Health:

9.3

RECOMMENDATIONS

RETAILERS & SUPPLY CHAIN

Monitor the progress in closing out conditions placed upon the MSC certification of the fishery and if agreed timelines are met. Offer assistance in closing conditions where possible.

Strengthen compliance processes and make information on non-compliance public and continue to provide evidence of compliance with all WCPFC and IATTC Conservation and Management Measures in a timely manner.

Implement a 100% observer coverage requirement for at-sea transshipment activities, as well as other measures that ensure transshipment activity is transparent and well-managed, and that all required data are collected and transmitted to the appropriate bodies in a timely manner.

Implement a 100% observer coverage requirement – human and/or electronic – within five years for longline fisheries. Adopt a 100% observer coverage requirement for purse seine vessels where it is not already required and require the use of the best-available observer safety equipment, communications and procedures.

Adopt effective measures for the use of non-entangling FAD designs as a precautionary measure to minimize the entanglement of sharks and other non-target species, and support research on biodegradable materials and transition to their use to mitigate marine debris.

More effectively implement, and ensure compliance with, existing RFMO bycatch requirements and take additional mitigation action, such as improving monitoring at sea, collecting and sharing operational-level, species specific data, and adopting stronger compliance measures, including consequences for non-compliance for all gear types.

Ensure all products are traceable back to legal sources. Verify source information and full chain traceability through traceability desk audits or third party traceability certification. For fisheries without robust traceability systems in place, invest in meaningful improvements to bring the fisheries and supply chain in compliance with best practices.

FIPS

No related FIPs

CERTIFICATIONS

AAFA and WFOA North Pacific albacore tuna:

MSC Recertified

Fisheries

Within FishSource, the term "fishery" is used to indicate each unique combination of a flag country with a fishing gear, operating within a particular management unit, upon a resource. That resource may have a known biological stock structure and/or may be assessed at another level for practical or jurisdictional reasons. A fishery is the finest scale of resolution captured in FishSource profiles, as it is generally the scale at which sustainability can most fairly and practically be evaluated.

Analysis

OVERVIEW

Last updated on 6 August 2014

Strengths

Based on the most recent stock assessment (2014), albacore in the North Pacific are likely not overfished and not undergoing overfishing. It has been recommended by the ISC Albacore Working Group (http://isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/working_groups/albacore.html) that fishing mortality rates should be maintained at current levels and that current management measures should be maintained (AWG 2014).

Weaknesses

Target and limit reference points have not been formally adopted and there is no harvest control rule in place. Data reporting from some countries (China and South Korea highlighted during 2011 assessment), specifically with regard to effort data, need to be improved. The last assessment noted that additional information on sex-specific size data, updated estimates on maturity and natural mortality rates and spatial analysis, could potentially improve assessment results. Albacore’s range spans multiple regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs)(Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)). The Convention texts from these two RFMO’s calls for cooperation in the management of albacore throughout its migratory range. The 2005 management measures in place for albacore through the WCPFC and IATTC call for members not to increase fishing effort beyond “current effort” but neither defined explicitly what “current” means. In 2013 IATTC adopted a supplemental resolution to define “current effort” but the WCPFC has yet to follow suit. Information on bycatch in longline fisheries is limited due to low observer coverage (5%).

Strengthen compliance processes and make information on non-compliance public and continue to provide evidence of compliance with all WCPFC and IATTC Conservation and Management Measures in a timely manner.

Implement a 100% observer coverage requirement for at-sea transshipment activities, as well as other measures that ensure transshipment activity is transparent and well-managed, and that all required data are collected and transmitted to the appropriate bodies in a timely manner.

Implement a 100% observer coverage requirement – human and/or electronic – within five years for longline fisheries. Adopt a 100% observer coverage requirement for purse seine vessels where it is not already required and require the use of the best-available observer safety equipment, communications and procedures.

Adopt effective measures for the use of non-entangling FAD designs as a precautionary measure to minimize the entanglement of sharks and other non-target species, and support research on biodegradable materials and transition to their use to mitigate marine debris.

More effectively implement, and ensure compliance with, existing RFMO bycatch requirements and take additional mitigation action, such as improving monitoring at sea, collecting and sharing operational-level, species specific data, and adopting stronger compliance measures, including consequences for non-compliance for all gear types.

Ensure all products are traceable back to legal sources. Verify source information and full chain traceability through traceability desk audits or third party traceability certification. For fisheries without robust traceability systems in place, invest in meaningful improvements to bring the fisheries and supply chain in compliance with best practices.

WCPFC

United States

Trolling lines

Last updated on 30 October 2018

Recommendations to Retailers & Supply Chain

Monitor the progress in closing out conditions placed upon the MSC certification of the fishery and if agreed timelines are met. Offer assistance in closing conditions where possible.

1.STOCK STATUS

STOCK ASSESSMENT

Last updated on 6 August 2014

The North Pacific albacore tuna population resides above the equator in the Northern Hemisphere and is harvested across its range. Stock assessments for North Pacific albacore tuna are conducted by the Albacore Working Group (ALBWG) of the International Scientific Committee (ISC) for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. A body formed by agreement by the governments of Japan and USA in 1995. The most recent stock assessment for North Pacific albacore tuna was conducted by the ISC in 2014. The previous assessment for this species was conducted by ISC in 2011.

The 2014 stock assessment was conducted using a length and age based integrated statistical stock assessment model fitted to indices of abundance from Japan (pole and line and longline). The assessment included new stock-recruitment estimates, sex-specific growth models and updated catch and effort data through 2012 {AWG 2014}.

SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

Last updated on 6 August 2014

North Pacific albacore tuna are considered to be healthy at current recruitment and fishing mortality levels. The latest stock assessment indicated that increasing fishing mortality rates above current levels will not result in an increase in yield (proportional) but would result in reduced spawning stock biomass. Members of the albacore working group therefore recommended maintaining the current management measures. In addition, they suggested several research recommendations. These included research into age and growth modeling, spatial pattern analyses, CPUE analyses, maturity studies, resolving data issues and making model improvements (AWG 2014).

Reference Points

Last updated on 06 Aug 2014

There is currently no biomass based reference point for North Pacific albacore tuna. However, an interim management measure to keep the spawning stock biomass (SSB) of North Pacific tuna above the average of the ten historically lowest estimated points (SSB-ATHL) threshold during a 25 year projection period was put into place in 2008.

The target fishing mortality reference point is FSSB-ATHL50%, which is the fishing mortality rate that would lead to future minimum SSB falling below the SSB-ATHL threshold level at least once during a projection period (2010-2035). This is a simulation based biological reference point, meaning it does not assume SSB remains constant during the projections. In addition, there are a number of potential reference points that are used to ascertain the status of the population (AWG 2014).

Reference Point

F2010-2012/FRP

SSB

Equilibrium yield (t)

FSSB-ATHL

0.72

100,344

90,256

F[~MSY~}

0.52

49,680

105,571

F0.1

0.51

73,380

93,939

FMED

1.30

1152,291

74,640

F10%

0.63

22,867

96,590

F20%

0.71

54,530

105,418

F30%

0.81

86,192

99,612

F40%

0.94

117,855

89,568

F50%

1.13

149,517

77,429

CURRENT STATUS

Last updated on 25 July 2013

Albacore tuna in the North Pacific are likely not overfished or experiencing overfishing {AWG 2014}.

Trends

Last updated on 25 Jul 2013

The spawning stock biomass (SSB) of albacore in the North Pacific Ocean shows three general trends, one in the beginning (1966-1970’s) of the time series, one in the middle (1980’s) and one at the end (1990’s to 2009).The SSB was high (~400,000 t) during the first stage, declined during the middle (~300,000 t) and has been higher again during the most recent time period, reaching a record high of 504,000 t in 1999.The total stock biomass has declined since around 1971 from 1 million t to 500,000 t during the late 1980’s.The total biomass increased to 1.2 million t by 1996 but has since declined to around 800,000 t. Recruitment has averaged around 48 million t since 1966.Low recruitment rates occurred from 1978 to 1987, while high recruitment occurred during two separate time periods, 1966-1977 and 1988-2009 (ISC 2011). The estimated SSB of females in 2012 was 110,101 t {AWG 2014}.

2.MANAGEMENT QUALITY

MANAGEMENT

Last updated on 29 December 2009

Management measures for albacore tuna in the North Pacific have not been changed since 2005.According to the 2005 Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), current catch levels were to be maintained for long-term sustainability of the stock.Under this CMM, the WCPFC was also asked to work with members of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission to agree on consistent management measures for the North Pacific population {WCPFC 2005a}. In 2013, IATTC adopted a new resolution requiring member countries to report the average catches of North Pacific albacore tuna between 2007 and 2012 by gear type, along with a list of vessels that fish for albacore in the North Pacific {IATTC 2013}.

Recovery Plans

Last updated on 29 Dec 2009

North Pacific albacore tuna are not overfished or undergoing overfishing and there is no recovery plan in place (ISC 2011).

WCPFC

United States

There are few international management measures in place for albacore tuna in the North Pacific Ocean. Measures were adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in 2005 and have not been updated since then. According to the 2005 Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), current catch levels were to be maintained for long-term sustainability of the stock. Under this CMM, the WCPFC was also asked to work with members of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission to agree on consistent management measures for the North Pacific population {WCPFC 2005a}. In 2013, IATTC adopted a new resolution requiring member countries to report the average catches of North Pacific albacore tuna between 2007 and 2012 by gear type, along with a list of vessels that fish for albacore in the North Pacific {IATTC 2013}.

Domestically, albacore tuna in US waters are managed under the Pacific Fishery Management Council Fishery Management Plan for US West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species. This plan utilized precautionary measures to preserve albacore and other highly migratory stocks, but no precautionary harvest guidelines or quotas are in place for albacore tuna {PFMC 2011}. In addition, there is a treaty between the US and Canada that allows for licensed vessels to fish in respective waters {PRFMC 2011}. Longline fishing is not allowed in EEZ waters off the US west coast {PFMC 2012}.

COMPLIANCE

Last updated on 24 July 2013

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has a compliance monitoring scheme in place that assess’s members compliance with obligations, identifies areas of conservation and management that may need refinement, responds to non-compliance and monitors and resolves non-compliance issues. The Commission evaluates compliance by members annually with respect to: catch and effort limits and reporting for target species, spatial and temporal closures, observer and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) coverage and provision of scientific data {WCPFC 2012d}. However, the WCPFC has historically not made this information publicly availalbe. For the first time in 2013 the Commission did publish information on compliance by individual countries {WCPFC 2013c}. The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) has a compliance monitoring plan that includes collecting information from member nations on compliance and enforcement of measures, requiring a plan of action to improve any issues from member nations not under compliance, and allows the Commission to develop sanctions and incentives to improve compliance {IATTC 2011a}.

Vessel Monitoring Systems are required on all vessels fishing for highly migratory species in the western and central Pacific Ocean south of 20N and east of 175E. The area north of 20N and west of 175W will have an activation date for VMS’s set at a later time {WCPFC 2012e}. There are measures in place allowing for the boarding and inspection of vessels in the Convention Area {WCPFC 2006} and the WCPFC maintains a list of illegal, unreported and unregulated vessels {WCPFC 2010b}. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, vessels larger than 24 m in length must use VMS {IATTC 2004} and a list of IUU vessels is maintained {IATTC 2005}. However, assessing the effectiveness of these enforcement measures is difficult because there is a general lack in the transparency of information with regards to surveillance activities, infractions and enforcement actions and outcomes {Gilman et al. 2013}.

3.ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

BYCATCH

ETP Species

Last updated on 29 December 2009

Green, hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles are currently listed on CITES Appendix I, meaning they are threatened with extinction and international trade is banned. In addition, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed green turtles as Endangered and hawksbill and leatherback turtles as Critically Endangered. Leatherback turtles have also been listed as Endangered on the Endangered Species Act since 1970 and Olive Ridley turtles as Threatened since 1978. Bottlenose dolphins can also be incidentally caught in this fishery and have been listed on CITES Appendix II (Martinez 2000)(Seminoff 2004)(Marine Turtle Specialist Group 2006)(Mortimer and Donnelly 2008)(NMFS 2012).

In addition to these species that are protected through global measures, several bird species and additional marine mammals are incidentally captured in this fishery. This includes black-footed and Laysan albatross and humpback whales (Molony 2005) (OFP 2010).

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) have adopted several management measures to protect vulnerable bycatch species. For example, WCPFC and IATTC members are asked to implement the International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catches of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries. Vessels fishing north of 23N in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) and Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) are required to use at least two mitigation measures including at least one of the following: side setting, night setting, tori line or weighted branch line. Members must submit annual reports detailing the mitigation measures used and are encouraged to undertake additional mitigation research {IATTC 2011}{WCPFC 2012f}. Members of both the WCPFC and IATTC are also to implement the FAO Guidelines to Reduce Sea Turtle Mortality in Fishing Operations. Proper handling and release guidelines should be used when hard-shell turtles are incidentally captured and longline vessels must carry line cutters and de-hookers to allow for the safe handling and release of turtles. Longline fisheries are also urged to research mitigation techniques such as the use of circle hooks {WCPFC 2008}{IATTC 2006}. In addition, fisheries observers record and report interactions with seabirds and turtles {IATTC 2011b}{WCPFC 2012f}{WCPFC 2008}.

Incidental captures of protected, endangered and threatened species in troll and pole fisheries and handline fisheries are uncommon.

Other Species

Last updated on 7 May 2013

Several species of tunas, sharks, billfish and other fish are caught as bycatch species in the North Pacific albacore fisheries. In the North Pacific albacore pelagic longline fishery, discard rates for tuna ranged from 0-35%, for billfish from 3-44%, for sharks and rays from 0-100%, 0-100% for other bony fish, 100% for marine mammals, sea birds and turtles {OFP 2010}. Discard rates in tuna troll and pole and line fisheries are very low, around 0.1 to 0.4% (Kelleher 2005).

Several tuna species are also caught in the albacore longline fishery, including bigeye and yellowfin tuna. Overfishing is currently occurring on bigeye tuna {Davies et al. 2011} but yellowfin and skipjack tuna populations are healthy {Langley et al. 2011}. Common shark bycatch species include blue, shortfin mako, silky and oceanic whitetip sharks. Both silky and oceanic whitetip sharks are overfished and undergoing overfishing {Rice and Harley 2012a,b}. Incidentally captured billfish species include, swordfish, black, blue and striped marlin {OFP 2010}. Striped marlin are currently in an overfished state{Lee et al. 2012}. In addition to these species, several bony fish including mahi-mahi, opah and wahoo {OFP 2010}}.

There are few management measures in place to protect these bycatch species (other than tuna). Members are prohibited from retaining, transshipping, storing or landing oceanic whitetip sharks and any incidentally caught sharks should be released, the incident recorded and reported {WCPFC 2012h}. Members are also to implement the FAO International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks and National Plans of Action should have policies in place to reduce waste and discarding of sharks. Information on catch and effort for key species is to be reported. Shark finning is banned (5% ratio) {WCPFC 2010a}.

HABITAT

Last updated on 29 December 2009

Pelagic longlines typically fish on or near the ocean surface and therefore are not likely to contact bottom habitats. However, contact with the seabed can occur in shallow-set fisheries, such as the Hawaiian shallow-set fishery (Passfield and Gilman 2010) (Gilman et al. 2012). Troll and pole fishing has a negligible impact to bottom habitats (Morgan and Chupengadee 2003).

Marine Reserves

Last updated on 29 Dec 2009

There are no marine reserves for longline or troll and pole fisheries in the North Pacific Ocean.

FishSource Scores

Last updated on
14 February 2018

MANAGEMENT QUALITY

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is ≥ 6.

There is no biomass based reference point in place and no harvest control rule.

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is ≥ 8.

The scientific advice is that current management measures should be maintained.

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is ≥ 6.

The stock is not managed through quotas or TACs

STOCK HEALTH:

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is ≥ 8.

The biomass is at healthy levels

As calculated for 2012 data.

The score is 9.3.

This measures the Ratio F/Fmsy as a percentage of the F management limit.

The Ratio F/Fmsy is 0.520 . The F management limit is 0.760 .

The underlying Ratio F/Fmsy/F management limit for this index is 68.4%.

To see data for fishing mortality, please view this site on a desktop.

No data available for recruitment

No data available for recruitment

To see data for management quality, please view this site on a desktop.

To see data for stock status, please view this site on a desktop.

DATA NOTES

There are no TACs in place, but the population is healthy, thus qualitative scores have been assigned for scores 1, 2 and 3. The latest stock assessment was conducted in 2014. Catch values are from WCPFC 2013. Score 4 is qualitative because there is no biomass based reference point. The values presented are depletion values (SSB/SSB0) and the fishing mortality rate is for the FMSY proxy {AWG 2014}.

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Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)

Certifications

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

NAME

STATUS

MSC Recertified on 23 August 2007

SCORES

This fishery was recertified by the Marine Stewardship Council system in December 2012. In March 2014, the American Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA) – north fishery has merged with the American Western Fish Boat Owners Association (WFOA) albacore tuna North Pacific fishery.

Sources

Credits

Albacore Working Group (AWG). 2014. Stock assessment of albacore tuna in the North Pacific ocean in 2014. WCPFC-SC10-2014/SA-WP-12. http://www.wcpfc.int/system/files/SC10-SA-WP-12%20North%20Pacific%20Albacore%20Assmt%20Report%202014.pdf

Lawson, T. 2001. Observer data held by the Oceanic Fisheries Programme covering tuna fishery bycatches in the western and central Pacific Ocean. 14th Meeting of the the Standing Committee on Tuna and Billfish, 9-16 August 2001, Numea, New Caledonia. SWG-9. 42 p.SWG_9.pdf

Lee, H., Piner, K.R., Humphreys, R. and Brodziak, J. 2012. Stock assessment of striped marlin in the western and central North Pacific Ocean in 2011. Report of the Billfish Working Group Stock Assessment Workshop. International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. ISC-BILLWG_2011_Stock_Assessment_of_Striped_Marlin.pdf

Molony, B. 2005. Estimates of the mortality of non-target species with an initial focus on seabirds, turtles and sharks. First meeting of the Scientific Committee of the western and central Pacific Fisheries Commission, 9-19 August 2005. WCPFC-SC1. 84 p.wcp_bycatch.pdf